Prisoner of Memory
by Jamie Love
Summary: AU The war started many years ago. Holly Short, along with the LEP, is a prisoner in a human prison. Now, the human's leader, known only as 'The Master', has offered Holly an item from her past, in return for information that he wants.Angsty AH
1. Prologue

**A/N: Okay, before we get started I wanna make one thing clear: This is gonna be a really long term project, and I wont be surprised if it ends up having quite a few chapters. This started out as a drabble, then CoffeeAndCherryBrandy suggested I extend it. I got to thinking, and now it is a very complex ordeal, though I think it'll turn out pretty well. I had a whole lot of trouble comming up with a title, but I have finally decided on one, so I hope you like it.**

**Title: Prisoner of Memory**

**Genre: Angst/Science-Fiction/Romance**

**Pairing: Holly/Artemis**

**Rating: T (PG-13 to low R for Violence)**

**Warnings: Angst, Violence, Implied Non-Con, Character Death(s), might change to M-rating in later chapters.**

**January 15, 2259**

"Wake up! I said wake up!"

Holly held back a retort, keeping still. She knew it wasnt wise, faining sleep at a time like this. But she wanted to be alone, to dwell on her memories. Besides, it wasnt like it mattered. They were going to kill her either way. So, maybe they would torture her now. But who cared, really? Her back was already a mass of scars, and her body was covered in bruises. She just wanted it to be over. So she could finally rest. So she would no longer have to think about him.

A sudden jolt of pain interrupted her train of thought. She opened her eyes, sitting up on the cold stone floor. There was someone glaring at her through the bars of her cell, holding a Taz-Spear. A Taz-Spear was the human's variation of a Buzz Baton. Of course, being an invention of man-kind, it's primary use was to cause as much pain as possible. There was even a shock level on it that could kill. The only fairy to ever survive _that_ level had had his life shortened by about a thousand years. He was now hardly nine-hundred, and already they could all sense his life was comming to an end.

Holly sneered at the man holding the Taz-Spear. She knew his face well. It was one she despised. "Vinicio Butler." She snarled. (1)

Vinicio Butler. Decended of Domovoi Butler, and probably the most ruthless of the guards in this hell-hole the humans called a prison. He was known for his cruelty, and for the terrible rumors about what he did to female prisoners during the night shift. Rumors that Holly knew, only too well, were true. He smirked down at her, taking out a set of keys and opening the cell door. "G'morning, Holly." He growled, leering down at her as he approached.

She tensed slightly as he pulled her to her feet, unlocking the shackles that chained her to the wall. "Dont you dare call me by my first name, Mud Man!" She hissed, trying to pull away from him.

"Oh, but we know each other so well, Holly." He replied, stroking her cheek with one massive hand. "Why dont you tell me some more lies about how you knew my great-great-grandfather?" Holly was about to respond with something venemous when the small band on the human's wrist began flashing red. "Oh, but perhaps another time." He continued. "You're wanted elsewhere." With that, he slapped a set of hand cuffs on her and dragged her down the hall.

As they moved down the hallway, Holly looked up at her captor. She couldnt help being reminded of the Butler she had known over two hundred years ago. The one who had saved her life so many times. She sighed softly, looking away. Though Vinicio greatly resembled his ancestor, Holly knew Butler would be ashamed to call this man family.

As they reached the end of the fall, the human opened a door and shoved her into the room. She stumbled, and fell hard on the floor. She remained where she was, knowing what was comming. Sure enough, she felt another jolt of pain shoot through her body as Vinicio hit her with the Taz-Spear again. As she lay there, twitching slightly, a deep, strong voice sounded from a corner of the dark room.

"_Jetzt, Jetzt, _Vinicio_. Seien Sie mit ihr leicht. Ihr Leben ist weit mehr als Ihr._" (Now, Now, Vinicio. Be gentle with her. Her life is worth far more than yours.)

There was a time, Holly remembered, when those words would have meant something to her. But, after five years in this prison, they were just words. Nothing more. She pulled herself to her knees, looking behind her to see Vinicio bowing deeply.

"_Verzeihen Sie mir, Meister. Ich verwirklichte nicht." _(Forgive me, Master. I did not realize.)

Holly pulled herself to her feet, something registering in her mind as she did so. _Meister_. She had been confused the first time she heard the guards speaking of a man they called "Master". But she had learned that the one whom they all answered to, and feared beyond anything, was known only as "The Master", and so that was what they called him. Holly forced back a weak laugh. Talk about vanity.

"_Das ist weil Sie ein Idiot sind, Vinicio. Lassen Sie uns jetzt! Ich möchte mit ihr sprechen._" (That is because you are an idiot, Vinicio. Now leave us! I wish to speak with her.)

Vinicio bowed once more, and left, closing the door behind him. Holly looked around the room, biting her lip. The only light came from a barred window. There was a shadowy figure sitting in a chair near the back of the room. Holly squinted, trying to make out his face. She saw the outline of a scar on his cheek, but nothing more.

"You have information that I want." The man said suddenly.

Holly closed her eyes. "Luetenant Holly Short of the LEPreconnasaince squad. Elf. Inmate number 20795. Magic termitated February 29, 2250. Born..."

"No, no, Luetenant." The man interrupted. "That is not the information I am after." He pointed at a second chair, near the center of the room. "Sit." He ordered.

Holly sat, utterly confused. "I have no information about any LEP activity." She whispered. "I have not been in contact with anyone. I swear it to the gods!"

The man laughed. "Calm down, Luetenant. I know you have been icolated, do not fear." He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was calm. Gentle. "I wish to now about something that happened quite a few years ago, Luetenant. Over two hundred and fifty years ago, infact."

Holly tensed, suddenly understanding. She sighed softly, shaking her head. "No. Please, no. That information is of no use to you."

"Oh, but it is." Insisted the man. "I wish to know about Artemis Fowl the Second. You know what became of him, do you not?"

Holly closed her eyes, forcing back tears. "Yes." She breathed.

"I do not expect this information without giving you something in return, of course." He continued. She looked up at him, surprised. He laughed again. "I have something you desire, and I believe you will tell me all I need to know in order to have it in your possesion."

Holly frowned, thinking hard. What could this human possible have that she desired? As she watched, he lifted something from his pocket, holding it out so that the light from outside caught it, revealing what it was. She gasped.

"Where...where did you get that?" She choked, staring at it longingly.

Another chuckle. "So I was right in thinking that you wish to have it?" He slipped it back into his pocket. "Where I acuired it is not important. What is important is that you have something I want. And I have something you want. I believe it is an equal trade, dont you?"

Holly closed her eyes, and sighed, defeated. "All right. All right. " she whispered. "I'll talk. But I want your word that you'll give me it as soon as I have."

The man nodded. "Of course, My Dear. I swear upon my Mother's grave. You will recieve what you desire as soon as you tell me everything I need to know."

Holly smiled bitterly. "It's quite a long story."

She looked up, just intime to see what could have been a smile on the little of his face that she could see, seconds before he moved into complete shadow. "Luetenant, I have all the time in the world."

Holly sighed, and began her tale.

**(1) I had some trouble coming up with a name for Butler's decendant...his character will make more sense later. I only have one or two named made-ups in this story. The rest are mostly guards, who are all faceless. Now, about this dude. Vinicio was the first name of a cruel dictator in Guatemala. Vinicio is more the part of stupid evil henchman, but you get the idea.**

A/N: Okay, first chapter done. What do you think? I want brutal honesty here, folks! I know it's a bit strange, but it'll make more sense as the story progresses. Also, who thinks they know what the guy's got that Holly wants? I betcha no one will be able to guess! I'll update soon as I can. Just remember: I'm on vacation.


	2. The Wrong Choice

**A/N: Okay, chapter two. In this one we switch to Holly's POV. When she's telling the story, it'll be first person, and when it's in the future, it'll be third person. Make sense? I hope so. Anyways, here's chapter two. I'm going to be trying to write as much over the summer as possible, because I dont wanna get rusty. I especially wanna write as much of this one as I can before I lose interest in it, which I hope doesnt happen but you can never be too careful. So, enjoy!**

It all started over two hundred and fifty years ago. At the beginning of the twenty-first century. It was before the war, when only three humans knew about us. He was always different. I knew that the moment I first laid eyes on him. He was cold, and cruel; frighteningly so for someone his age. But I could sense there was some good in him. I was afraid of him, yes. But that was when there was still something to be afraid of. Before it happened. We met on several occations, and after a while, I found I trusted him. Cared for him. I was just a Captain then...

"Commander, please!" I said, my mind reeling. "You cant mind-wipe him."

Commander Root glared at me. I had set up a hologram projector in one of the empty studies and locked the door so we could have a private conversation. It was only half an hour before the mind-wipe was to take place. I couldnt let it happen.

"I can and I will, Captain Short." He growled, holding his arms. "You know perfectly well that we have to. It's the only option."

I looked into his pixelated face. "It isnt the only option!" I insisted. "There are a ton of things that could go wrong!"

Root raised his eyebrows. "And what are the chances of anything going wrong, Short?"

I sighed. I should have known this was comming. "About 28,000,090-to-one, Sir." (1) I replied, looking down. "But isnt there still a chance that something could go wrong? I mean, Artemis is a genius. Maybe there's something in Foaly's calculations that he wont expect."

Suddenly, Root's face was red. This surprised me. We hadnt been arguing that long. But what he said next startled me. "What did you just say?"

I frowned. "Foaly's calculations could be wrong? Honestly, Commander-"

"I DONT MEAN THAT!" He shouted, glowering at me. "WHAT DID YOU CALL THE MUD BOY!"

I thought back. "I called him Artemis, Sir." I answered, after a few moments. "Why? That's his name, isnt it?"

Root narrowed his eyes. Why was he acting this way? I had called Artemis by his first name, yes. But what of it? Root wasnt thinking along those lines, unfortunately. He stared at me with pure anger for a moment, then sighed. "Holly, what am I going to do with you?"

I was startled. "Commander, what are you talking about?"

He sighed, and his holographic hand patted my shoulder. "Holly, you've bonded with the human, havent you?"

I sighed, and bowed my head. "Yes Commander."

He was silent for a moment, and I looked up. His brow was furrowed, and I could tell he was thinking. "Do you think you could convince him to stop contacting the LEP and stop endangering our race?"

I stared at him, a hopeful bubble welling up inside me. Could he really mean it? "Yes, Sir. I think I could."

He nodded, and grunted. "Alright then. Get him to sign a contract saying that he will never contact the LEP for assistance again, and show it to me within the next ten minutes. I'll call off the mind wipe. I'll wait here."

I nodded, beaming at him. "Thank you, Commander!" I breathed.

He let out another grunt, then glared at me. "What are you waiting for, Captain? I said ten minutes or the mind wipe happens. So hurry up!"

I ran down the stairs, utterly happy. Of course I could convince him. We had become friends, and I'm sure he wanted to keep his memories more then anything. But, as I reached the middle of the stairs, I stopped. My heart sank. I couldnt do it. Even if he had changed, he was still the Artemis Fowl that had kidnapped me. The one who had been willing to risk his life, and the lives of the ones he cared about, for gold. Nothing would ever change what he was; a human.

I stayed where I was for five minutes, then slowly climbed back up the stairs and back into the study. Root's hologram was waiting. He frowned slightly when he saw the expression on my face. "Well? What did he say?"

I sighed, and shook my head. "He...he refused to sign." I lied, forcing myself to look my commander staight in the eye. "He said that he could never follow through with the agreement, so it would just be easier for all if he just accepted the mind wipe."

He looked into my face, and he nodded, though I dont think he truly believed me. "Very well. Foaly and the others will arrive shortly. I want you downstairs to supervise everything."

I nodded, and turned to go. But he stopped me. "And Short? One more question."

I looked up. "Yes sir? What is it?"

He was silent for a moment, staring at me with a sort of knowing look on his face. Then he asked me. "Do you love him, Captain?"

It was the hardest thing anyone has ever asked me. I thought hard about it for a while. It seemed like hours, but it must have only been a few minutes. Finally, I answered him. He took my word for it, and I left. I kept thinking about my desicion. I thought it was the right one at the time. If only I had known just how wrong I was.January 15, 2259

"You had a choice? You could have stopped the mind wipe?"

Holly looked up, staring at the shadowy figure. She had almost forgotten the man was there. "Y-yes." She replied, quietly. "I could have. But I didnt."

"Why not? If you were so close to him, surely you wanted him to remember you?"

She sighed. "I did want him to remember me." She admitted. "But...it was just too dangerous. I thought I was doing the right thing. Even if he had changed, he was still the human who kidnapped me and almost got me killed."

There was a long silence after that. Holly could tell that this man-"The Master"-was trying to decide whether he should all her to go or not. Finally, he spoke, his voice slow and and thoughtfully. "I believe there is more to the story than that, Luetenant."

Holly frowned. "Yes, I suppose. Though nothing happened after that for about six months."

"And then you noticed something was wrong?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..." Holly saw the outline of an arm being raised, and in the dim light from a rather expensive looking watch, she could just make out a scar on his wrist. "You have been here nearly four hours, Luetenant. When did you last eat?"

Holly thought about it, marveling at the fact that four hours had already passed. "Three days ago." She replied, finally. "I'm on punishment for assualting a guard. Solitary confinement and no meals for a week."

The man nodded. "Yes, I knew that. It was Stalin whom you assualted, correct? You broke three of his fingers and his nose." He chuckled. "Strange how someone so small can be so powerful, is it not?" He pressed down on his wristband, which started flashing red. "I'll give you some time to rest, Luetenant. But you will be back here tomorrow to continue." He paused, and Holly was suddenly struck with a question.

"Could I ask you something?" She asked, squinting to try and see if she could make out his face.

There was a moment of silence, then he spoke with a tone of amusement. "Perhaps." He replied. "What is your question?"

"Well...why do they call you Master? You're they're commanding officer, arent you? Are you really that vain?"

"Why, Luetenant, that is quite a question indeed. And perhaps I will answer you. In due time." As if on cue, the door opened, and Vinicio stepped in, bowing deeply._"Ja, Meister. Was benötigen Sie?"_ (Yes, Master. What do you need?)

The man nodded from the shadows. _"Nehmen Sie das Luetenant zur Verwirrunghalle. Stellen Sie sicher, daß sie ißt. Dann wünsche ich sie mich setzte zurück mit den anderen Gefangenen." _(Take the Luetenant to the mess hall. Make sure she eats. Then I want her put back with the other prisoners.)

Holly looked up, surprised. Vinicio seemed to be just as surprised, not to mention outraged. He and Stalin were comrads, after all_. "Aber, Meister. Sie griff Stalin an. Sie hat noch vier Tage nach links ihrer Bestrafung." _(But, Master. She attacked Stalin. She still has four days left of her punishment.)

There was a short silence, and when the man next spoke, his voice was calm and deadlier then Holly would have imagined possible only a few minutes ago. _"Sie trauen widersprechen mich, Vinicio? Möglicherweise sollte ich Sie in eine dieser Zellen werfen und Ihnen Nahrung für einige Tage verweigern." _(You dare contradict me, Vinicio? Perhaps I should throw you into one of these cells and deny you food for a few days.)

Holly held back a chuckle as she saw Vinicio pale. _"Nein, nein, Meister. Das ist nicht notwendig. Ich hole sie jetzt." _(No, no, Master. That will not be necessary. I will bring her now.)

_"Gut. Gehen Sie jetzt! Ich möchte allein sein."_ (Good. Now go! I wish to be alone.)

Vinicio bowed, grabbing Holly by the collar and dragging her out the door. As she was pulled out of the room, Holly saw the man take the object-her payment-and hold it in his hand, running a thumb over the surface. Who was he? And why was he so interested in learning about Artemis Fowl? She had a feeling she would find out soon enough.

**A/N: Okay, I've decided to have a sort of contest. Just to spice things up. Each chapter, there will be two clues as to who The Master really is. One hidden in the story, and one mentioned in the ending Author's Note. If one of you can guess it before I actually say it, will get to choose one aspect of the story. Choices: An alternate, minor pairing (can include an OC), a canon character death, or a canon/OC character appearance. (If you can think of anything better, let me know.)**

**Contest Hint #1: He's appeared in at least one of my other fics**


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